As a current artist, I have been working with the asr for a min. i also use the mpc but the asr is a classic sampler and if u know how to use it there is nothing better out there!

Rating: 4 out of 5
posted Wednesday-May-21-2003 at 19:01

boilingwater
a hobbyist user
from USA
writes:

I have one (regular ASR-X, 32 MB RAM, no 8 outs, no ROM upgrades) and I like it. It slows down when running a lot of info, but you can work around it. You can really get a lot out of it if you work with it. The effects are great. Step sequencing is kinda tough on it, you can't back up, and I don't know if it's my own cluelessness, a defect with my specific machine, or what, but I can't get song mode to work for the life of me...

I don't know much about this stuff, can't compare to MPC or anything. But I can say, if you find one cheap at a garage sale or something, get it.

Lately I've been using it mostly as an effects processor, it has more parameters on the effects than I'll ever possibly use...hell, I've had it for a year and I don't think I've tried every effects PRESET yet.

Oh yeah, the preset sounds aren't great, I use a few regularly, but the drums and synth sounds are weak. But then, it is a sampler.

You wanna definitely get the 32 MB RAM upgrade.

Basically, I give it a four because, for what it is, it couldn't be much better. Better step sequencing and presets would make it a five for its price.

Peace

Rating: 4 out of 5
posted Monday-Apr-07-2003 at 21:42

gritz
from rock city. eight mile!
writes:

The sampling on this thing is amazing. It's so simple to use, and there's so much you can do on it. The effects are nice, you can make samples gritty by either lowering the bit rate (mainly adds hiss noise) or you can re-sample the sample at a higher pitch, and then de-tune it (works much better.) Certain features like normailze are just necessary in anything cuz you can take a sample that is kinda low in volume and boost it up to , well normal! If you have an MPC-60/3000, or 2000, this machine is a must because you can now do things that other sampler do (timescale/timestretch, lowp/medium/highpass filtering, 40 different fully editable effects and much more. The stock sounds are nice, especially when you edit them (change the attack for example.. gives then a new sound that you would pay for in another module!) If you want rawness, this is the most slept on beast out there. It's s#itted on because of it's sequencer, and yea, it's wack, but it's also (in a way reall nice) you can shift notes by turning the dial! This is GREAT on hi-hats, shakers, etc when you don't want them sounding like a robot is controling your drums.. gives it a live feel, or you can make a simple beat, and just MANGLE it into something different. When it comes to quantizing, nothing beats this machine. You can create you own!! from 1/2 to 1/64 triplets (on the mpc, you have 1/8 - 1/32 triplets. The bab thing about the sequecer is there is no real step editing ( the mpc's is WAY better and easier to use) and sometimes, the sequencer can be sloppy. That perfect beat you made may or may not loop perfectly. Sometimes, this is cool, most times, it's not! If the ASR had digital inputs, it would be the perfect drum machine for me (apart for the sequencer, and small graphic window.) Buy it if you already have a sequencer you like, don't buy it if it's the first piece of equipment in for you production. And also, don't listen to them SP-1200 guys.. those machines are nice, but they can't do 1/10th of what the ASR can do (red or black model) The ASR can sound clean, or dirty.. the SP's can only sound dirty.

Rating: 5 out of 5
posted Friday-Feb-21-2003 at 08:40

Roxstar
a part-time user
from Detroit
writes:

I'd love to say I'm a professional, but I haven't got paid off my tracks yet (no real money anyways) but let me get on with my comment. I reviewed the ASR before, I just wanted to update it. I still love this machine, even better than before. I use it with my MPC2000xl. The stock sounds in this machine are GREAT. To make things easy on myself, I just sample them into the MPC, but I usually tweak them a little. Re-sample em, add a touch of effects. The only bad things about this is the sequencer, and the knobs.. their buggy, but the pads and bottons are great. This machine has never failed me in the last 4 years. It's not as easy to learn as the MPC, but ask yourself what you really need it for. If you want it for drum sounds, efects, or a sampler, get it.. if you need it for sequencing, skip it. It is a sampling workstation, so it does it's job really well. I give it a 5 out of five. Plus, you have to love how so many people hate on it. Add it to your studio, and keep it a secret.

Rating: 5 out of 5
posted Sunday-Mar-24-2002 at 14:35

flp
a hobbyist user
from japland
writes:

great sounding sampler. the sounds are not just phat but also very rich. i love it